Home : Racial Justice : Racial Profiling

New Poll Shows Public Overwhelmingly Disapproves of Racial Profiling (12/09/1999)
WASHINGTON -- A Gallup poll released today revealed that the majority of Americans -- both black and white -- believe that racial profiling is both widespread and unfair. The American Civil Liberties Union, which has long fought racial profiling by police at the local, state and national level, called the poll a resounding wake up call for public officials who deny that a problem exists.

ACLU Calls on California Governor to Support Mandatory Data Collection Next Year (12/09/1999)
SAN FRANCISCO -- In light of Gallup Poll findings released today on racial profiling, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California today called on Governor Gray Davis to support mandatory data collection legislation next year.

Illinois Looks at "DWB" Bill (12/07/1999)
CHICAGO -- Adding fire to the debate over allegations of "racial profiling" by police in Illinois, State Senator Barack Obama announced plans on Monday, December 6th, to sponsor a bill requiring state police to record and release statistics on the race of all motorists they stop.

New York Attorney General's Report Confirms Bias Policing Practices (12/06/1999)
NEW YORK - New York City police officers disproportionately target blacks and Hispanics for street searches, according to a new report by the state attorney general's office. According to a December 1 New York Times article, the report confirms many blacks' and Hispanics' claims that the police stop and search them far more often than they do whites. The report found that even in precincts that are 90% white, more than half of those stopped and frisked were people of color. Blacks were stopped 23% more often, and Hispanics were stopped 36% more often, than whites.

Black Police Executives Tackle Racial Profiling (12/04/1999)
OAKLAND, CA - The Oakland Tribune reported today that the collection of racial data from traffic stops should be part of any strategy for improving police-community relations according to panelists at a conference on Friday of black law enforcement leaders.

ACLU and Coalition Groups File Suit Against CA Law Enforcement Agencies for Racial Profiling (11/30/1999)
SAN FRANCISCO - Charging civil rights violations as a result of racially motivated traffic stops by California law enforcement officers, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California today filed a federal class action lawsuit against the California Highway Patrol and Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement.

In Case of "Flying While Black,"U.S. Customs Service Subjected Woman to Harrowing Search, ACLU Charges (11/17/1999)

ACLU Applauds LA County Board for Urging Law Enforcement To Monitor Race-Based Traffic Stops (11/02/1999)
LOS ANGELES -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California applauds the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for adopting the Burke-Yaroslavsky motion that calls on the Sheriff and the Office of Public Safety to report the cost and feasibility of tracking the race of motorists stopped for traffic infractions.

ACLU Calls on Los Angeles Police Commission to Require LAPD to Collect Traffic Stop Statistics (10/20/1999)
LOS ANGELES -- In a letter to the Los Angeles Police Commission, the American Civil Liberties Union today urged the panel to require the Los Angeles Police Department to collect traffic stop statistics, including the race and ethnicity of the driver.

ACLU Condemns CA Governor's Stunning Veto of Racial Profiling Bill (09/28/1999)
SACRAMENTO -- The ACLU affiliates in California today condemned Governor Gray Davis's veto of a bill requiring law enforcement to collect data regarding the race and ethnicity of all drivers stopped by the police.

Washington's State Patrol to Note Race, Gender in Traffic Stops (09/24/1999)
OLYMPIA, WA -- In an effort to guard against racial profiling, Washington State Patrol troopers will soon record the race and gender of everyone they stop, Chief Annette Sandberg said yesterday.

San Francisco Is 34th CA City to Collect Racial Data on Police Traffic Stops (09/16/1999)
SAN FRANCISCO -- In response to the growing controversy over racial profiling, San Francisco police officers will soon begin keeping track of the race of motorists they pull over, the San Francisco Chronicle reported today.

ACLU Urges CA Governor Davis to Pass "Driving While Black or Brown" Bill (09/09/1999)
SACRAMENTO -- Following the state assembly's overwhelming passage of a bill to collect racial data on police traffic stops, the American Civil Liberties Union affiliates of California today urged Gov. Gray Davis to enact this crucial piece of legislation.

White Separatist Defends Racial Profiling at Police Meeting (08/20/1999)
DENVER -- When police officials from around the country gathered here on Aug. 14 for a debate on racial profiling, many were surprised to hear that one side would be argued by someone with a white separatist background, The New York Times reports.

Houston Joins Battle Against Racial Profiling (08/12/1999)
HOUSTON -- Police officers who stop people because of their skin color may find themselves out of a job under a new city initiative, the Associated Press reported today.

ACLU of New Jersey Calls for "Early Warning System" to Discourage Racial Profiling by State Troopers (03/01/1999)
NEWARK, NJ -- At a press conference today, he American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey called on state officials to record racial demographics in highway traffic stops and establish an "early warning system" database to flag problem police officers.